This Is About Us
by acrimonious4vitality
Summary: "Edward, I'm tired of being taken advantage of, aren't you! I have a mind of my own and feelings that do matter. And so do you. Now will you help me or are you content with letting her run your life, too?"
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPT:1: Twenty Minutes**

**Bella (Twenty minutes ago)**

Today is awesome. It was one of those stay at home and snuggle up on the couch with a good book kind of days. That's exactly what I was doing. Who cared if it was a perfectly good Saturday that I was wasting? I was completely content, minding my own business at home reading romance novels where I replaced the main characters with me and the man of my dreams.

Jasper Whitlock was a tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, straight up big country, sex god. Not that I knew anything about sex, let alone sex gods. He'd just moved to our little town of Forks, Washington a few months ago, right out of Texas.

I remember the first time I spoke to him, it was the first day he got here.

_*****Memory Lane*****_

_I laughed a little at the thought that a real cowboy was walking in the halls of Forks High, boots and all, but when I saw him on my way to class, the ground was taken right from underneath my feet. Literally. I managed to trip over air while he was walking past me. Usually moments like that would leave me utterly horrified and embarrassed out of my mind, but at that time, I didn't care, because he stopped and helped me up._

_"You okay miss?" his voice was smooth and had that southern twang, just like in the movies._

_I just nodded my head. I couldn't say anything, afraid I would say something stupid like "my hero!" in what I'm sure would have been a crappy imitation of a southern belle. Just thinking about embarrassing myself more made my face heat up. I'm sure I resembled a bottle of ketchup right now._

_He took my hand, helping me stand up. He was touching me. His hand was warm, a little clammy, but it still felt good. He was talking to me about something, I honestly couldn't tell you what. I just saw his lips moving, those pretty pink lips. Actually, they were a little orange in a way, that was weird, but still cute on him._

_I faintly heard him laughing at himself for getting lost trying to find his class. His laugh. I think I had a mental orgasm. He introduced himself and thankfully, my brain decided to start functioning again at this point. Jasper Whitlock. What a name…Whitlock…Isabella Whitlock._

_Jasper and Isabella Whitlock. Nice ring to it, don't you think?_

_I finally got my bearings together and asked what his class was, it was calculus. The exact same class I was supposed to be in, so I generously I offered to escort him there. We talked on the way to class, I noticed he played with his hair when he talked, my friend Edward did the same thing when he was nervous. Edward's hair was a mangled bronze mess, Jasper's was a tumbling mass of blonde curls that bounced when he moved his head._

_I had never enjoyed calculus, I personally thought it was a creation of the devil, and I never did well in it. Now that this Wranglers jeans wearing god was going to be in the same room as me, I knew I was never going to be able to pay attention again._

_After class I asked if he would want to sit with me and my friends for lunch, he agreed. I think my smile at that point could have gotten me a Colgate endorsement deal and I didn't care that I looked like a total spazz._

_Lunch went without a hitch, he was a hit with Edward and Alice, my best friends. They were somewhat involved with each other, even though they never gave themselves a title. I used to be kind of jealous, I never wanted Edward or anything, I just wanted what they obviously didn't know they had. They were crazy over each other, stuck at the hip._

_Jasper and Alice hit it off immediately, which was great for me. There was no way I could think of being with a guy that my best friends didn't approve of. They spent the entire lunch break talking. I was so happy. The man that I was sure I was going to marry got along great with my friends._

_Of course he still had to meet my sister Rosalie and her boyfriend Emmett, Edward's older brother. They were my everything and if they didn't approve of him, then I knew there was no way in hell that I would be with Jasper. They're opinion overruled Alice and Edward's any day._

_*****End of Flashback*****_

Yeah, life was good.

Until about twenty minutes ago.

Twenty minutes ago, I was happily imagining Jasper and I in old Victorian clothes taking a stroll in a park.

Twenty minutes ago, I wasn't contemplating manslaughter.

And twenty minutes ago, Alice Brandon had not been flying through my living room telling me that she was dating MY Jasper Whitlock.

**Bella (now)**

Alice left faster than I could blink, she gave out her terrible news then bolted. If it weren't for the smell of expensive perform left behind, I would have thought I was dreaming. Or having a nightmare.

I could say nothing. In my head I was playing out at least thirty different ways I could kill her and then hide the body. So far, I was leaning towards beating her with an encyclopedia and feeding her to the wolves on the Quileute Reservation…it could work.

How did this happen? _When_ did it happen?

Alice was just sitting in Edward's lap yesterday while we all watched a movie at his house. How in the _hell_ did this happen?

This was...this was _bullshit_.

Now that I think about it, I should have never let Jasper meet Alice. That was dangerous, practically all the guys wanted Alice. But it didn't seem like such a big deal. She was so into Edward at that point that I thought she would never notice another guy, let alone one that _I _brought around. You'd think that since she was one of those peppy, girly types that she would know that a girl doesn't go after another girl's man, especially not your best friend's man! Wasn't that like, girl rule number 1? Ok, so he wasn't technically _my _man, but I had brought him over with me, which is something I never do because I'm not exactly a social butterfly. That should have been a big enough sign to her saying, 'hey! I like this dude!'. Plus, we were practically on our way to being a couple! We went to the homecoming dance together! I mean, she listened to me gush about him for hours that night!

She already gets everything she wants, now she has to have what I want too?

_I think I hate her_.

She was a gorgeous, funny, stupid little ballerina who was full of life, and rich and had a fashion sense to kill...and is now dating the guy I had work for months to finally have.

_I fucking hate her._

**So…this was the first chapter..again, lol. If you read this story before, then you would know that a lot has not changed and probably won't change in these first few chapters, but I can guarantee you all that...shits about to go down this time around. ^_^**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Be gentle with me!**


	2. Chapter 2

*******TIAU2: That Bitch**

I sat in my living room thinking hard about what the hell I was going to do now. Alice, who was my best friend, just took Jasper away right under my nose. Why? She had a boyfriend. Why did she have to take mine? I would have expected something like this from Jessica or Lauren, but never Alice. I was under the impression that Alice didn't even like any guy other than Edward. She always made damn sure that they stayed far away from us. When did she even have the time to sneak Jasper away from me? Weren't we all always around each other? I was honestly baffled, and hurt, but I couldn't cry.

I tried for almost an hour to force tears to come from my eyes, but nothing ever came. I thought that surely I would feel better once a few came out, crying was cathartic right? There were so many different emotions bubbling up inside of me that I don't believe crying or screaming would ever help give me some relief. I wanted to hit something, break things. I think for the first time in my life I felt like fighting someone, I actually wanted to take my fist and punch Alice right in the middle of her perfect face. Hard.

I knew what I needed to do, I had to call Rosalie, my big sister who always knew how to handle my problems. Most people think Rose is a bitch. Ok, so she is a bitch, but she is my sister and she's always been there for me when I needed her, so that overrules all the bitchiness. I loved my sister, even if I feel like a beat down monstrosity when I stand next to her.

Our parents, Charlie and Renee, are fairly average looking people, brown hair, brown eyes. But Rose? Nope, by some genetic fuck up, Rosalie was born as a goddess. Blonde hair, blue eyes, red lips, and when she got older, a body that would make Barbie shit a brick. Think of how disappointed my parents must have been when I was born, I was just as plain as they were. For years I hated even being near Rosalie, my self-esteem would plummet. Eventually she just sat me down and explained everyone looks different and that you just have to work with what you have, something I didn't quite believe back then.

I remember that day.

_I was watching her put on make up for a date. I was in the eighth grade and she was a sophomore. I hated and loved watching her get ready for dates. I hated it because I knew I was no where near as beautiful as my sister. I loved it because it was amazing to watch her go from just beautiful to goddess._

"_Why couldn't I have been born as pretty as you Rosalie?" _

_She stopped putting on her make up and looked at me from the mirror. "Bella, stop being so dramatic."_

_I threw myself across her bed. "I'm not being dramatic, I want to be one of the beautiful people!"_

_She laughed, "Bella, everyone is beautiful, just in different ways." _

"_Well I need to find another way, because so far this isn't working for me." I gestured towards myself._

"_How do you not work for you? Come here."_

_I got up from my spot on her bed and went over to her at her vanity mirror. She pulled me in front of the mirror with her behind me. "Look at yourself Belly." I frowned at my childhood nickname given to me for my now nonexistent baby fat. I looked up into the mirror, Rose was playing with my hair, "You are so pretty." _

_I snorted, "Wow, are we about to have a Lifetime moment." _

_She pinched my shoulder, "I'm being serious Bella, you are pretty." _

_I shook my head. All I saw in that mirror was a scrawny, short, limp haired, pale, sickly looking child. My lips weren't proportioned right, my eyes were the most boring shade of brown. I still hadn't developed a shape yet, but I was still young, so I had hope. I felt the tears come when I looked at myself and turn away from the mirror._

"_No I'm not. Look at you Rose, now look at me." She just looked at me, her eyes were sad. I figure she saw what I saw._ _"I think I would be happy to even have finger nails like yours."_

_She_ s_uddenly turned away and went to pick up her cell phone from the bed, calling someone. She turned away from me. Who was she calling?_

"_Royce? Yeah, its Rose, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to cancel our date tonight."_

"_I need to be with my sister for a little while, ok?" _

"_Its none of your business about why, just know that I do and if you don't like that then go call Irina." I smiled, I loved my sister and her no bullshit way of life._

"_Ok then, well stop getting such a fucking attitude with me. Now, I'm sorry again, maybe another night. Bye." She turned back to me and gave a small smile._

_My eyes were wide and my mouth open. My sister had just cancelled her date with Royce King for ME. She had been trying to get a date with this guy for weeks now, going through tons of other girls to get to him. From what I hear on the eighth grade circuit is he is a senior and the most popular guy there. And she just ditched him because her little sister was having self-esteem issues._

"_You didn't need to cancel your date Rose. I'm sorry, go call him back. You've been trying to get with this guy for like ever now. He's the king of Forks High, right?"._

_She scoffed and rolled her eyes at me and went into her bathroom. She started to run water and wash her face of her fresh make-up. "Royce King calls himself the King of Forks High, which isn't that grand, I mean, its Forks High, there are like only a hundred of us there." _

_She came back a second later with a pair of hair cutting scissors, an eyebrow archer, and small chest that I knew held all of her make-up and other things she won't let me touch. _

"_Now, tonight is officially Bella night, and you better make it worth while, because I just cancelled on Royce King. If I am not happy by the end of this night, its your ass on the line." _

_I frowned, "If he's not that great then why are you mad at me about canceling on him?" ._

_She laid her supplies on the bed, "Because even though he's a prick, and I can't stand his guts, he's still popular. Tell me, what girl doesn't want to date the most popular guy around?"_

"_Good point, I guess." _

"_Sit down on the bench and put your feet on the bed. Now, what don't you like about yourself and why?" She sat down on the edge of the bed, next to my feet and began to rifle through the small chest, pulling out a cherry red polish_.

_I shrugged my shoulders, "What DO I like about myself will be the shorter answer." _

_She began painting my toes carefully. Not looking up at me, she asked another question. "Ok, then. What do you think about my appearance?" _

_I could go on and on about Rose's beauty. She was who I wanted to be._

"_You're more than beautiful Rose. Your hair is blonde and its soft and wavy. You have blue eyes, everybody loves blue eyes. You can tan, even in Forks, but you don't even need one. You make pale look good. You don't even need to wear lipstick like most girls to get your lips to look red."_

_She finished up painting my toes and looked at me, smiling slightly. "Bella, a lot of people have the same features as me, I'm nothing special. I just do things to enhance mine. Like, I use a specific shampoo that works well for my hair, I buy colored lip gloss that makes my lips look even better. I use mascara to bring out my eyes. You can do these things too, you know." _

_I cringed at the thought of wearing make-up. "I don't too much care for trying out make-up, at least not now. It doesn't even matter though, because I don't have any features to enhance."_

"_You know, you can complain all you want, but you need to know that you are pretty Bella, and I'm going to show you that." _

_She spent the next three hours talking to me and playing with my face and hair. When she finished, I still looked the same, but a little better. She had arched my eyebrows for me, layered my hair, and promised to give me highlights the next weekend._

_I stared at myself for a little while, there was hope for me yet. If I could just keep up with hair, maybe dress a little different, I could pass for pretty. "Mom is going to flip when she sees what you did to my hair."_

"_She'll love it. I mean, this is the same woman who was practically forcing me to wear mascara and push-up bras in ninth grade." She laughed._

_Rose was getting dressed for bed when I finally got up. "Thank you Rosalie. I know it was a waste of your time, but thank you." _

"_Bella, you're not ugly. I would never acknowledge you if you were. You're still young, only what? Thirteen, fourteen? You'll grow into your looks, I promise. But for right now, be proud of how you look. I've seen some of your friends Bella. Lauren, Jessica? Now those girls need some help in the facial department. We're lucky we haven't been cursed with buck teeth and acne huh?" _

_I laughed. Rose could be mean sometimes, but that was just Rose. _

"_Ok, now get the hell out of my room." _

Anyway, I needed to get Rose on the phone. Now.

"_Hello?" _

"Rose! We have a mission! You and Emmett need to get here asap!" My words were rushed as I ran down the stairs,_ Ha! I didn't trip_.

She laughed on the other line, obviously thinking I was joking. Joking, I was not my friend.

"_Bella, what the hell are you talking about now? What mission? Operation Bella-Needs-Someone-To-Go-To-The-Movies-With-Her-Because-Her-Best-Friends-Are-Too Busy-Drooling-Over-Each-Other?" _

"No." I was getting even more angry now, I'm clearly upset and here my own sister is making fun of me. "We're going to kill Alice. TONIGHT. I have a pillow case full of encyclopedias and I know where we can dump her and everything. I just need you to come down here to help!" It was true, there was a pillow-case overflowing with encyclopedias A-I.

"_Bella what the hell! What did she do now? Arch your eyebrows too much and now you look like Portia de Rossi?"_

You wanna know whats sad? The fact that she is being completely serious right now...

"No, you blonde git! She took my man!"

"_Who? You don't have a man- Oh!_"

"Yeah, big oh."

"_She's with Jasper now? I thought you guys were going to get together? Wow, when did that happen?" She sounded as confused as I did. _

"Yeah, she came by today with fantastic news! She didn't even stick around long enough to ask if I was ok with it, which NEVER happens, we always get each others approval, you know that! She just waltzed in with all her ballet training and squeaked Jazz and I are together! I'm so happy Bella! I've been waiting on this since you introduced us! Oh, I gotta go, Jazz is telling Edward then we're going to dinner! DINNER! Ah! I'm so excited!" I imitated her overly excited voice. "Then that little crack fiend took off."

"_Wow, that's something." _

"Wow? What the hell, where is the angry Rose I grew up with? This has you written all over it, so don't just say wow that's something. I need you to be angry! I need you to get your ass over here so we can spray paint all the clothes in her closet!"

"_Ok, Bella. Calm down. Just breathe for minute ok? Its not that I'm not upset, I just want you to think for a bit. Its not like you to go off on a rampage over someone upsetting you."_ Even though I was still upset, I knew she had a point.

"I just can't believe that..that bitch! I'm a faithful, great friend to her for three years and this is the thanks I get? I just want to wrap my hands around her neck and shake her until I feel that little neck snap."

"_Bella, I understand you're upset, but did she even know that you liked Jasper? I mean, she couldn't have known if she's with him now, right? She does seem a little dim sometimes." _

"Rose, you're my sister, and I've been her best friend for three years, so you both should know that if I bring a guy around, I'm interested!" I stopped pacing around my room when another thought hit me, and it hit me hard. "Loves me? Wrong! Do you have any idea of how many dates I missed out on, or had to leave because she needed me? Or how many times I cancelled my plans to do hers instead? I can't even TELL you how many times I've let her just treat me like a Barbie doll and control everything in my life. 'Oh, Bella, that looks horrible, go change' . 'Oh, Bella, you HAVE to come shopping with me even though I know it makes you miserable'. Did you know that she cancelled my date with Jacob Black without me knowing? I thought he just ditched me, I was depressed for days! She told him I had the swine flu! When Charlie went to their house that weekend and he found out I wasn't sick, he thought I was just trying to avoid him. Now he hates me!".

Rose was awfully quiet after this and I was hoping that she was livid with anger and actually considering my mission.

"_Oh my God, how do you think Edward feels about this Bella?"_

"Edward! Oh my gosh, I didn't even think of him! This is going to kill him! Especially since Jasper is the one telling him. I seriously can't stand her now! Its one thing to upset me, she always does, but not Edward. And she's not even telling him to his face that she's dumping him." I felt like crying for my best friend, he's been with Alice for two years now.

He never said anything about being in love to her, but I figured he never had to, they were so close already. Everyone assumed they were together, which they basically were with all the hand holding, sharing cokes, whispering. Hell, they even had a way of communicating without actually talking sometimes. Until now.

Rose spoke up once more, _ "Bella?" _

"Yeah." My voice sounded even sounded far away to me.

"_Me and Emmett will be home by tomorrow morning, alright? We'll get all of this settled."_

"Why is Edward being upset more important?"

"_Ugh, Bella don't be so childish. He is more important because he was actually dating this girl for two years while you never officially went out with Jasper and not for nearly as long as Edward and Alice did." _

"How mad do you think Bear is gonna be?" I was trying to liven up the conversation a little, I hated getting off the phone angry.

She let out a little laugh,_ "It all depends on how Edward handles this. If he's hurt, Jasper might need to hide." _

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow Rosie." We said our goodbyes, then hung up.

I stayed sprawled out across my bed, thinking. I was so pissed and hurt, but I could deal with it. Edward though, he was such a soft spoken guy. I mean, don't get me wrong, he can handle himself, he's very opinionated and popular, but when it comes to his feelings, he's not so bright. This news is going to crush him. I know it will, even if he doesn't say anything, which I know he won't. He'll just tell Jasper, "Congratulations dude." Then he'll go be miserable in his room for weeks, thinking he had done something terrible to make Alice leave him. He does everything she asks him too.

Edward and I were alike in so many ways, which is why we got along in the first place. I met him freshman year, we had a science class together. He was my partner, and he was quieter than I was, which was just sad, because I hardly spoke. One of us had to speak up first, and it was me. I eventually got him to open up to me. I was afraid I would find out some deep secret or something for why he's so distant. I found out that he was just really insecure, like me. He was always aiming to please everyone, even if he knew he wouldn't enjoy it. He was constantly being compared to his older brother, Emmett, just like I was compared to Rosalie.

Emmett was a big bulky dude, 6'4", all muscle, he was HUGE, which is how he got his nickname, Bear. He was a high school football legend. He was beyond popular and might as well have run the school and every girl wanted him. Royce King didn't stand a chance of being remembered after Emmett walked those halls. I'm not saying that

Edward isn't attractive, because the boy was delicious, even I saw that. He wasn't as buff as Emmett, but he was all muscle as well, though you couldn't tell until his shirt was off. I almost drowned in the pool one summer when he took off his shirt, but he was no Emmett, he didn't have the personality that Emmett had that made people drift towards him. Just like my situation with Rosalie.

If anything, Edward scared people off, he always looked like he was brooding about something. He was constantly turning down invitations, be it for a party or 'company' . He was paranoid that people only wanted to be around him for status reasons, and of course to see if they can make it in good with Emmett. Fat chance of that happening, Emmett was vicious when it came to Edward. If you even looked at Edward wrong, he was all over you like you wouldn't even believe. I was lucky that I could really say the same about Rosalie.

As much as I hate to admit it, I would have ended up forgiving Alice for all of this. I would have tried to forget all about it and move on to keep my friendship with her, because one man shouldn't be enough to tear apart a friendship, right?

I would have forgiven her, but for Edward, I wouldn't.

**Be honest here with me folks...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok, first thing I have to say is I am SO sorry for taking like..37 years to update this story. I have had a total clusterfuck of a year, but I'm back and I am on track again. Promise!**

**Now you may have to go back and scroll through the last chapter as a refresher, but it shouldn't be necessary really.**

*******CHAPTER 3**

**EPOV**

Music has got to be the best thing ever created in the world. You can put yourself in an entirely new world when you listen to or play music, at least I could and if you can't, then you are seriously missing out on something amazing.

I put in the ear buds to my ipod and sat by my window. I was going through a seriously ridiculous phase with Red Hot Chili Peppers. They had to have a song to fit every possible mood you can come up with. Feeling like eating dirt? They have a song for that.

When my family first moved to Forks I hated this town. I hated this house. I hated the weather. Yeah, I was an overly dramatic kid, I hated everything. Out of all of the things I hated though, I think I hated my room the most. It was too big and too open, with an entire wall made of glass. I've always been sort of paranoid, thinking people are always looking at me, so knowing that I would be so...on display, I suppose it took me to an all new level of paranoia. It took months for me to finally be able to change clothes in my own room. I was right there, for all of the world to see, at least all the world that was in the middle of nowhere. The squirrels could see me for sure though. There was no way in hell I would sleep in this room, but I had no where else to go. The house had five rooms in it, and the other four were already occupied. There was my parents room, my room, my father's home office, the art room where my mother did all of her painting and designing, and then Emmett's room. I could have slept on the couch, but Esme didn't want me to wear out the cushions. I begged Emmett to switch rooms with me for days, he wouldn't do it because big brothers love to make their little brothers life as crappy as possible, right? Exactly.

I had the All American big brother. Don't get me wrong, I love him and I think he's the best brother a guy could ever have. Emmett was one of those television show big brothers with the letterman jacket, more muscles than brains, always holding a football, who gave noogies and embarrassed the hell out of his little brother whenever he could, but still defended him against anybody if they gave him a hard time. He was the most popular bastard in school back in Chicago, so it wasn't a surprise that when we moved to small Forks, he turned into the most popular bastard in the town. Emmett was two years older than me, so right now he was away in college in Seattle. I missed him, but he came home with his girlfriend as much as possible.

Emmett's girlfriend, Rosalie, in one bold word, is an asshole. Now, when I say that I mean it as affectionately as calling someone an asshole can be taken. I mean, she was nice to me and my family, but thats pretty much where the line is drawn. I could deal with her, and she's actually not as bad as you would think she was to others. She just comes off as aggressive, which she kinda is, but it works for her. Her roughness mixed with Emmett's easy going way is miraculously a perfect match, there is never a dull moment with those two. The happiness seeping out of the two of them together is nauseating and heartwarming at the same time. Bella and I are waiting for the wedding invites to go out any time now.

Ah, Bella. That girl was something else, I swear. When I started my freshman year, she was the first person I tried to put any effort into speaking to. I was very quiet, I still am, but it was much worse. At first I thought she was trying to use me to get to know my brother, which wasn't unusual to me. People, especially girls, would fake a friendship with me long enough to get to Emmett, then treat me like they never knew me. That hurt, seriously. Eventually, I just stopped talking to everyone. I'd be damned if I was going to be a fucking ladder for them to climb up to get to Emmett. But Bella put me in my place. Fast.

**Freshman Year**

I_ sat down at the two seated desk in the back of the class. I had decided that I was going to try to be different here, I would try to make friends. My partner was already there, I knew her name and I was sure she knew mine, but I never got up the balls to introduce myself properly. Her name was Isabella Swan, but she preferred to be called Bella. She seemed to be a nice enough person, from what I saw of her around the school. She was pretty too, her hair was long and had a sort of wavy look to it, her eyes were brown, but a really nice brown. Like if the light was angled the right way, they looked chestnut. She smelled good too, I couldn't place a name to it, but it was fruity, sweet. Berries maybe? I didn't know, but it was amazing._

_A few minutes into class, she turned to me and smiled. "Hey, I know we've been partners for about a week now, but I'm Bella." She held her hand out to me._

_I just stared at her for a second, she was really pretty when she was smiling. And she was talking to me. I blinked and finally took her hand, giving her a small smile. "I'm Edward."_

_She started tapping her fingers on the desk a little, pouting her lips, "So, how are you not liking Forks so far?" she was smiling again, but looked nervous, like she thought I was going to bite her or something. I almost laughed at the image of me, some sort of vampire with her in my arms and blood dripping off one side of my mouth._

_I lightly shook my head, "It's not that bad. I like it actually, its not as loud here, and I think my skin tone fits in a lot more here." It was true, I was pale as shit._

_She laughed, "Yeah, there is no hope of catching some color naturally here, unless you're my sister Rosalie. I heard you have an older brother here. How is he?" Great. I knew there was a reason she all of a sudden wanted to speak to me. She wanted to know Emmett._

_I turned away from her, a little put out. I thought I would actually be able to talk to someone who wanted to know me. This place was small, but what would make the people here any less shallow than the people in Chicago? "Yeah, he's a junior. Emmett's already making his name around here, huh?"._

_When she didn't say anything, I took a peak at her. She had a little frown on her face, probably at my sudden change of attitude. The frown made her face scrunch up a little bit, it really wasn't the cutest look for a girl. After a moment she spoke again, "Do you not like your brother or something? Is he like a jerk to you or something?"_

_She prying for some information about him to tell people, I was sure of it. "No, he's great actually." I figured that if she was going to be talking about my brother, the least I could do was make sure it was all good. "He was like a legend at our old school when it came to sports, so I guess I'm just waiting on it to start up again here. Everybody loves Emmett."_

_"Well you sound a bit bothered when you talk about him." she frowned again. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound so judgmental. I shouldn't have even asked that question before, its none of my business."_

_She sounded like she actually cared that she may have offended me, which I knew she didn't. I almost apologized to her, but I caught myself. She was just trying to get to Emmett, I had to remind myself of that, even though I was getting a feeling that maybe she didn't want to know just him, but look at who I thought was into being friends with me before and how that turned out._

_I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist under the table, and once again looked away from her. I don't know how much time had passed before I tilted my head towards her, I couldn't even look at her. "Look, if you want to meet Emmett, fine. Just meet me after class and you can sit with us at lunch. You don't have to sit and talk with me, not like you want to anyway."_

_"Excuse me?" She sounded nothing like I thought she would, like maybe embarrassed that I had put her on the spot. She sounded pissed._

_"Look, I know all you want is to meet Em and that's why you re talking to me. That's the only reason why anyone talks to me anyway. So, I'm trying to save you from the trouble. Just sit by me at lunch and you'll officially be known. You're welcome." And with that, the bell rang. Perfect timing._

_I rose from my chair and swiftly walked out of the room, stopping outside of the class to wait for her. I knew she would take up my offer. A few seconds later she was heading towards me, I was about to turn towards the lunch room when I noticed her expression. I was almost intimidated._

_"Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you talk to me that way. First off, I really couldn't give a shit who your brother is, I was trying to be nice and just talk to you. I figured since we were partners that it would be good to at least introduce myself. I've seen you around school and I thought you would be pretty nice, but you're just a complete asshole!" She turned and walked away._

_I stood rooted to my spot, a few people had stopped and watched what happened. I suddenly felt closed in in the hallway, all these people were looking at me and others looked away, but I could see them laughing. I felt like I couldn't breathe, so I headed off down the hall towards the same door Bella had gone through. I found that it led to the outdoor lunch area, hardly anyone was there._

_"Of course no one is out here, its freezing." I knew I couldn't go back inside though, especially now that I'm sure half of the school knows about me getting my ass handed to me by a girl._

_I was about to take a seat at one of the picnic looking tables when I heard her speak from behind me, "Don't sit there." I turned around and my hand flew to my chest, "What the hell?" She'd scared the shit out of me. I calmed down after a second, "Why can't I sit here?"_

_She pointed to the table and I noticed something. There was a huge crack in the exact spot I was about to sit. It shouldn't even be called a crack, it was huge, more like someone had karate kicked it, and I was about to sit down and surely fall right through it._

_She'd warned me before I could hurt myself, even after I had been so mean to her. She could have had a hell of a laugh over it, but she didn't. I would have gotten my laugh out._

_I felt like shit. Class A dick._

_I ran my hand through my hair a few times, I needed to cut it. "Look, I'm sorry." I took a step towards her, she didn't move. I pushed my hands in my pockets. "I really am sorry. I just assumed that since you were talking to me about my brother that you were only wanting to meet him. Its just what I'm used to." My hands had found their way back into my hair, "Back in Chicago, the only time I was even acknowledged was because they wanted to know something about Emmett or to somehow get close to him. When we came here, I was thinking that maybe I finally had a chance, you know? I didn't mean to be an ass to you, honestly I didn't. But when you started to talk about him, I just assumed the worst again. I truly am sorry, Isabella."_

_She had been making her way to me while I spoke, so now she was about two feet in front of me. She laughed, "You have no idea of how much I know what you mean. My sister is Rosalie Swan, the Queen of Forks."_

_I quirked an eyebrow at her, the name was familiar. "Tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, wet dream? I know you must have seen her around here at some point. She's got the big yayas." She gestured towards her chest._

_I think I had seen her once or twice, but I knew for a fact that Emmett had spoken of her multiple times._

_"Oh, I think I have seen her a few times. She's your sister?" I looked over her quickly, "You two look nothing alike." I suddenly realized that I totally sounded like a douche just then, especially with the one over I'd given her. She looked a bit offended and my hands flew up instantly in a defensive manner, "No no, I didn't mean it like that. I meant that you two just...don't look alike, at all. Your hair is brown and so are your eyes, but that's ok. I mean, Em and I look nothing alike either. No one even knows we're related until we mention it." I was hoping like crazy that I didn't sound as stupid as I felt._

_She surprised me by smiling and nodded her head, "Its ok Edward. I understand. It all makes sense to me now, so you can stop. You were upset because you thought I wanted to get around your brother, the same has happened to me a few times, so we're cool."_

_She didn't look upset with me anymore. Thank God! This was my chance to make it right between us, so I took it._

_Offering my hand to her, I put on the best and most charming smile I could make, "So, lets try this again. I'm Edward Cullen and I swear that I am not a total dick."_

_Laughing, she accepted my hand, "Well, I'm Bella Swan. And I swear that I am not a two-faced bitch."_

I laughed a little at the memory. I loved that girl with my whole heart, my everything. She was my first serious crush, the girl I got my first seriously painful boner over, and I thought she was going to be my first at everything. But she was my best friend, and I knew what things like feelings could do to friendships.

Like kill them.

So, I pined away after her for months and months. I sat and watched both of her very brief and not long enough to be called a relationship relationships crash and burn. I watched her become over the moon over any guy who gave her the slightest bit of attention, not to make her sound easy, but she was a dreamer. If a boy talked to her, she immediately started making up her dream life with them from their first date to their wedding night.

Of course that first date would never happen. Bella went through crushes like her life depended on them. She'd meet one guy that morning and be over him by the next day. It hurt to see her like that over all of these guys, but I always knew it wouldn't last. That made it bearable. And I was like some sick creep who got off on waiting on them to fail so I could have another chance to hold her in my arms while she cried her eyes out. I was pathetic and I knew it.

I was finally getting up my courage to ask her out when she started going on and on about this Jacob Black kid. He didn't even go to our school and was a whole year under us, but she had been talking about him to me for months. He was the son of Charlie's, Bella's dad, best friend and lived on the reservation. Apparently they used to make mud pies together when they were kids.

Whoop dee damn doo.

Anyway, she sounded like she really liked this guy, and it seemed to be working out. It made me sick to the soul. At least until she introduced me to Alice Brandon.

I would like to think my heart stuttered and I forgot how to blink when I first met Alice, but sadly that didn't happen. She was an angel, beautiful. A completely different beautiful from Bella. She was like a little Tinkerbell, so cute and tiny. I suppose that added to what made her so irresistible. Alice had moved from Alaska to Forks at the beginning of sophomore year. According to Alice, her family moved around a lot, but she convinced them to let her stay in one place and finish high school like a normal teenager. Alice had a style like no other, but she made everything look good somehow. She was into bright colors, shoes, make-up and all that other girly stuff. Bella was content wearing nice jeans and one of Charlie's old flannel shirts, she was gorgeous even then and it worked for her.

Alice seemed like she was into me when we met, which was awesome, I couldn't believe it, things like that just didn't happen to me. I do admit though, if I had to pick Alice or Bella, I would hands down easily pick Bella. I was crazy about the girl, but I knew my chances with her were slim to none and that I had to try to occupy myself so I wouldn't think of her and this Jacob boy anymore. So, I offered to take Alice on a date.

We enjoyed ourselves, at least she said she did. So, I offered to take her out again. I knew in that first date that Alice wasn't the girl for me, she talked too much and didn't really care if you had something to say, but she was what I had and I did enjoy being with her, she had her fun moments. I never asked her to be my girlfriend, but I guess she just took on the role, which would be the normal thing I suppose, because we would act and look like a couple. There really was no reason for her to feel like she wasn't my girlfriend. I felt like shit for using her the way I was, but it wasn't like I was sleeping with her or anything serious, but I did have the occasional backseat fondling sessions. I am a man after all. I just really needed the company and it felt good to feel wanted. It felt good to have someone to go out with when hanging with Bella and some other guy. I was content.

So, here I am, sitting at my window when my mother yells from downstairs that I had company. I knew it was Jasper, so I told her to send him up. He's the only one the comes to my house really, mainly because I live in the middle of nowhere and he lives the closest to nowhere. He was a pretty cool dude, easy to talk to, and he easily became one of my best friends. Of course that was after I got over my initial hatred towards him.

The only thing I had against him was that Bella, my wonderful Isabella, seemed to be taken with him. I knew she it when she first brought him with her to lunch, which isn't normal for her, she's just about as shy as I am. Once again, I was crushed by her attention being on another guy, but it wouldn't last right? Wrong, the fucker never left, she never stopped liking him. As much as I liked Jasper, when it comes to Bella, he isn't my best friend, he is 'that fucker'. But, he made her smile. A lot. So, I feel like I somewhat owe him for that.

The two of them have been getting closer over the past few months, I'm guessing that if they aren't together already, they are well on the way. I couldn't complain, I wanted to, but I couldn't.

Cue the almost uncontrollable urge to be an asshole to anyone within hearing range.

I pick up my acoustic and started to strum a random little tune I had been learning lately. Jasper walked in quickly, closing the door behind him, he blew out a gust of air. "Hey, man."

I leaned back against my window, still strumming, "Hey, whats good?"

His expression changed for a second, he almost looked nervous...scared even. Jazz was usually a pretty calm and collected guy, never lost his shit. He leaned against my door, like he was ready to bolt any second now. "Listen man, please don't hate me after this, and let me explain."

I stopped playing and laid the guitar flat across my lap, so I could focus on what he had to say. "Jazz, come on. Spit it out, you know that beating around the bush shit pisses me off."

He nervously tapped my doorframe, making this weird clicking sound with the ring he wore on his thumb. It was pretty irritating. "Ok.. I don't know an easier way to say this, so I'll just say it. Me and Alice are going out."

I laughed, "Quit fucking with me, dude. Now come on, tell me."

He seemed to regain a bit of his backbone and cleared his throat. "I'm not kidding. Alice and I have feelings for each other and now we want to be together."

I just stared at him for a moment. "Excuse me?"

He stood straighter, "I mean that Alice and I officially started dating last night."

I put my acoustic on my bed and stood up. "Ok, so let me get this straight. As of last night, you and Alice, Alice Brandon, my Alice Brandon, are going out?" He nodded slowly, looking like he wanted to bolt again.

I looked down to my floor, putting my hands on my hips, nodded my head and took a deep relaxing breath. "Ok, now I'm waiting to hear the explaining part."

He at least had the decency to look like he was sorry, "I don't know how to explain it. I fell for her at some point and she feels the same. We talked about it last night and we felt we couldn't lie to either you or Bella. We wanted a relationship, an honest one that we could be proud of."

Now in my head, I wanted to let it all out. Call him every name in the book. Maybe smack him around a little. But all I did was say, "Wow. I did not see that one coming."

You could have knocked him over with a feather. "Thats it? That's all you're going to say? I thought I was gonna have throw down in here with you over this. Good thing I didn't, I think you'd give me a run for my money Ed."

I looked at him, raising an eyebrow, "What the hell is wrong with you? No! Of course thats not all I have to fucking say! You're in my house telling me that you're stealing my girlfriend from me? And not to fucking mention, you're dumping Bella? My best friend? Alice's best friend?" Is he out of his country fried mind?

"Woah, wait, Bella and I are not dating, so she has no place in this."

"Whatever, she may not, but Alice does. Now explain this bullshit to me."

He huffed. "I already told you! Alice and I want to be together and we don't want any bad blood between any of us. Thats why I'm standing here right now telling you this."

I crossed my arms, taking on a stance that would have even impressed the Chief. "So she's been cheating on me with you and you've been cheating on Bella?"

"What? No. Alice and I haven't done anything like that, we just talk a lot. And I'm not dating Bella!" He frowned.

"Fine, you aren't dating Bella. You've just been treating her like a girlfriend and making her like you more and more everyday so you can fuck with her and tell her that you're going to date her best friend instead. The best friend that one of your friends has been dating for longer than you've been in the damn town. That just makes you the fucking man of the year, Jasper. I don't know how you do it. I'm amazed at your ability to fuck up things like this in one fell swoop. I applaud you." I clapped loudly one time. I wish it was his face in between my hands.

"You don't have to be such an asshole about this, Edward. Its not easy being seen as the bad guy." Oh, he was back to be calm Jasper now. I don't care if he's calm, I'm not.

"Oh and you aren't? Because I think that stealing girlfriends and fooling females is a pretty asshole thing to do."

"I'm not stealing or fooling anybody! Alice is willingly leaving you for me. Now, I'm sorry that this had to happen, but it did, and I won't let you stand here and guilt either me or Alice, so get over it. We're trying to do right by you and Bella by telling you and you're just making this more difficult, man."

I rolled my eyes, this was not me being difficult. "How long has this been going on?"

He hesitated. Not a good sign. "A few weeks now."

I narrowed my eyes at him and his vague answer. "How long is a few weeks?"

"Two months."

I balked. He needed to leave, like now, or I was going to smash his face into my wall. "Ok. I'm done. Its cool. You and Alice go be happy and fucking merry or whatever it is that you want to be. Just go."

"Edward, come on. Please don't be like this, it's going to kill Alice knowing you'll be upset with her." He pleaded.

I laughed. "Alice? You really think I give a damn if she's going to be upset with me? Was she thinking of how I would feel when she was talking to you behind my back? Or how Bella would feel when she finds out? I honestly could not give one flying fuck for Alice's feelings right now."

His eyes were furious, but he was being calm Jasper right now, so he kept his composure. I wish he wouldn't, I only needed the slightest reason to punch him.

He stepped outside of my bedroom and turned to face me. "I guess we'll just have to give you some time to get over this and quit being a child. When you feel like you can be a little more mature about this, we'll talk."

I flipped him the bird.

I sat back down on my bed once I heard the roar of his engine pulling out. I was livid. My so called best friend just took my girl. What kind of person does that?

I know that I'm not in love with Alice, but I do love her. I've been with her for so long, its impossible to not feel anything for her. I know my feelings for her aren't strong enough for me to fight for her like he thought I would, but I still wanted to punch him in the nads for being such a dirty sleaze to have gone behind my back like that.

And Alice? I know I shouldn't be angry with her, because I didn't have those feelings for her, but she was still my girlfriend and she left me for my best friend! I was just with her last night and we were fine. They wanted a relationship to be proud of? Well with the way this is happening, they are off to a good start. Not quite.

I grabbed my keys and wallet, getting ready to go to Bella's. I don't know if she knows about this craziness or not, but she deserves to know. If I thought they were dating, then surely she must have thought the same. She probably already made out wedding invitations.

I briefly felt like kissing Jasper for leaving Bella and giving me a reason to hold her in my arms again and make her feel better. Then I immediately felt like a dick for enjoying Bella's pain. She was probably miserable. Her best friend just took the guy she's liked for months. I could already picture her eyes puffy and her wearing her Snoopi pajamas.

Or with blood all over her clothes and Alice's head in her hand. She had a temper that could even top Rosalie's.

Heading out of my room, a picture on my wall caught my attention. It was a photo of the four of us at the Homecoming Dance. We were all smiling faces, Bella wrapped happily around Jasper and Alice holding on to me grinning widely.

I took it down and put it in a drawer, that picture was just wrong in so many ways now.

**Ok, I know... its lame.**

**Now that thats out of the way! The good stuff is coming...or at least I hope its the good stuff. Lol**

**Regardless of reviews, !I heart you!**

**Kris**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**EPOV**

It took a grand total of thirty-seven minutes to reach Bella's house. I hated living so far away from her. Bella is known for her clumsiness and it made me anxious being away from her knowing that she could probably fall down the stairs and crack open the side of her skull. And it was very possible for that to happen with Isabella.

Renee was the one to answer the door when I got there, I couldn't keep off the smile that made its way to my face, she was like a second mother to me. Esme was all I could ever need in a mother, but Renee was a carefree type, the type of mother that took her kids roller skating and played in the dirt with them when they were little. Esme would cry if Emmett and I even managed to scrape our knees when we were little, and there was no chance in hell she would get her hands dirty unless it was for her painting.

"Edward!" She pulled me into one of her famous bear hugs. Renee was small but strong, creepy strong. "Where in the world have you been, little boy? We've missed you so much, you're hardly ever around anymore." Her smile dropped suddenly, "Oh no." She was frowning now. "What's wrong? What's upset her now?"

I tried to take on an expression of confusion. "Excuse me? What do you mean?"

She gave me one of those 'mothers always know' looks, "Edward, the only times that you've been over here lately are when Bella is upset about something. She hasn't been down here all day since Alice came by earlier." Her expression was thoughtful and her eyes squinted. "That's it isn't it? That Alice girl upset her didn't she? I knew it! I told her that girl was trouble, I told her that right from the beginning! You cannot possibly tell me that she doesn't have something to do with Bella right now. What did she do this time?"

Renee always amazed me. She was perceptive beyond words, always knowing when something was up. Bella and I never got away with anything if she was around. Nothing gets past her and she was stubborn until she found out. Just like Bella.

She even knew of my feelings for her daughter, at least some degree of it. There's actually a very embarrassing story behind that.

****Two years ago****

Bella and I had been partnered for an assignment in Biology, which meant I would be spending a lot of time with her. I was in heaven and hell at the same time.

Puberty had finally come and I had started growing into my features. My body had firmed up and the last of the baby fat had turned into firm muscle. I finally had hair in all the places that a man should. I had gotten tall too, not that I was short before, but it seemed that over night I had sprouted a good five inches, leaving me at a towering and uncomfortable 6 foot 3. Esme had been delighted to take me out shopping for new clothes, explaining that I needed to dress like the young man that I now was, instead of my regular plain white, black, or gray t-shirts. I think she was just excited to get me into new clothes. I had finally gotten my hair cut, it usually sat in a floppy mess down to my chin, now it was short, but not too short. Alice called it sex hair, I had no clue of how to describe it, but it looked good on me though.

Yeah, puberty had worked out good, but then again, it made me miserable. My voice was cracking all over the place. I had acne, thankfully not a lot and not on my face, my back suffered though. And of course, I couldn't control how my body reacted to anything. Riding on the bus, boner. Sitting in class, boner. Gym class, boner. Dinner at Grandma Elizabeth's, boner. Even so much as thinking about Isabella, massive boner. You get the point right? No pun intended.

Anyway, I was at Bella's working on the assignment laying across her bed while she worked at the computer. We had been working at it for about an hour when she started complaining about being hot.

_I'll say._

She took off her sweater, leaving her in just a plain fitted white tank top. She had filled out nicely over the last year, her chest swelling and hips curving. Even before then, she made my mouth go dry and water at the same time.

Seeing her take her shirt off woke me from my lazy moment on her bed, and obviously it woke my lower half as well. My face went red with the realization that I was getting a hard on looking at Bella while laying on her bed. And knowing she was so close to me at the moment made the erection even worse. It didn't matter how many times I thought of Emmett in drag, or my mom in her underwear, my hard on wasn't going anywhere, leaving me with one option. An option that I had been using a lot lately. If the rumor is true that every time you touch yourself a kitten dies, then I'm sorry kittens.

I excused myself to the restroom, already feeling ashamed of myself. Not only had I gotten hard by thinking of my best friend, I was now about to jack off in her bathroom. I was a creep. Closing the door, I sat down on the closed toilet seat. This was the same bathroom that she showered in. Naked. Ok, thats not helping. But, I might as well imagine it if I wanted to be out of here soon.

Swallowing down my shame I reached down and rubbed myself over my jeans.

_Bella had just taken off her sweater, this time there was no tank top underneath. She turned in her computer chair, looking at me with a small playful smile on her face. She began to reach up and lightly trail her hands over her breasts, her nipples were a soft pink and hard. She looked at me, her eyes were hooded and her face was getting flushed. Closing her eyes, her head went back as she started to softly moan and bring her hands down into her pants. _

I moved my hands to my zipper, pulling myself out of my boxers. There was already pre-cum oozing out and I hadn't even started. I ran my hand over the head, then gripping myself, I began stroking long and slow.

"_Mmmm, Edward." She was moaning my name while she pleased herself. She stopped suddenly and came over to me on the bed. "Edward, touch me." Taking off her pants and underwear, I could see her...all of her. I watched her run her fingers through the neat dark curls in between her legs._

I was panting now, trying desperately to control my breathing so I could savor this.

_She sat on my lap, bare and wet, placing my hands on her breast, rubbing them with my hands. Her face was close to mine, "Don't you want to kiss me Edward. Kiss me. Please." I could never deny her anything, so I kissed her as passionately as I possibly could while she began unbuttoning my pants._

Stroking myself faster and harder, I couldn't help but let a moan slip out, "Oh god, Bella."

_She had me in her mouth, my hands tangled into her hair, guiding her up and down my dick. In my fantasies, I had no fears about saying the dirty things to her that I heard in the videos I had watched. I was a king and she was mine to control and play with, and she loved it. I could feel the vibrations of her moans all the way through my body. "You like sucking my dick, don't you baby?" She answered me by cupping my balls and fondling them in her hand._

I mimicked my fantasy, holding myself in one hand, jerking away like my life depended on it with the other. I wasn't going to last very long, I knew it. I never lasted long when it came down to imagining myself with Bella, its actually embarrassing.

I was so close already, "Bella..ahh." I didn't care that I had worked up a sweat over my brow or that I might have been groaning a little too loudly, I was so close. I stood up quickly and lifted the seat of the toilet, preparing to empty myself into it any second.

_I fucked her mouth hard, "I'm coming baby. I want you to take it, all of it. I want you to swallow it all for me." _

My hand moved at the speed of light and I was making noises that I'd rather no one ever hear, my toes curling up deliciously. "Bella!" This was it, I was about to feel that sweet euphoria that only comes from masturbating.

Then the bathroom door opened.

"Oh my lord!"

My fiery moment was immediately extinguished as I turned around facing the wall and away from the door.

Oh my sweet Jesus. Renee had walked in on me jacking off in her bathroom, moaning her daughter's name. "Oh my God! Miss Renee I am so sorry!" I couldn't think of anything else to say as I faced away from her. My mouth was opening and closing, but nothing came out and I felt my face turn violently red. My heart was about to explode out of my chest, I couldn't breathe. This wasn't happening to me!

She sounded as if she was trying hard not to sound horrified and amused. "Uh, um, this is fine Edward, its completely normal. So um, I'll just leave you here to...fix yourself up." With that she closed the door and I could practically hear her run down the hall.

I looked down and realized my dick was still sticking out of my pants, though the fear seemed to make it close in on itself. My mess was all over the toilet seat and wall, I hadn't even realized that I'd come. I groaned and allowed myself to sink to the floor, wishing it would just swallow me up whole. I could have cried from the humiliation.

Oh my God. Renee not only caught me doing this, but she even had to hear me calling her daughter's name. She probably thinks I'm some perverted little nasty boy who fantasizes about her daughter all day while jacking off in the bathroom. Okay, so that was true, but its still embarrassing. She probably doesn't want me to ever come near Bella again. Once again, no pun intended.

I banged my head against the tub, ignoring the pain, "Fuck." I took my time cleaning up the bathroom until I heard Bella calling out for me. All I wanted to do was give her some excuse and get the hell out of there, but my mother wouldn't arrive to pick me up for at least another hour. I had to suck it up and look her in the face pretending that the worst moment of my life had not just happened.

I still don't know how I made it out of that bathroom that day, I wanted to lock myself in there until I died. Thankfully Renee never brought it up, especially around Bella. I think I really would crawl under a rock and die if Bella ever knew about that day.

"Well?" Renee's voice brought me out of my moment.

"Oh, well, I don't think its my place to tell you, really, but I'm pretty sure she'll tell you soon, you know how Bella is."

She scoffed, "That girl is too much like her father for my liking. So shut up with her feelings. I love you Edward, but I hate that you're the one my daughter goes to when she's having problems. That's my job young man!" She gave me a playful shove, but I know somewhere deep down in her, she wanted to hurt me. I knew Renee wanted nothing more than to be one of the mothers that her daughters could come to with anything, and she really was. Its just Rosalie handles herself too well and Bella is like Charlie, she kept her feelings to herself a lot.

"To be honest, she never comes to me with her problems, I just sort of barge in. Like I'm supposed to be doing now." That was mostly true, I do just get involved in her problems, and she never technically comes to me with them, she calls.

"So, she's in her room right?" I loved Renee, but I was ready to see Bella and hold her in my arms.

"Oh, right, I can't believe I've kept you here. Yes, she's up in the room dear." She finally moved so I could get in the house. As I headed up the stairs I heard Renee call out to me once more. "Oh, and Edward?"

I turned to her, "Yes, ma'am?"

"If you just so happen to utilize the facilities, make sure to lock the door first honey." With that she went into the kitchen.

My face burned like crazy and my insides dropped at her comment. I'd never live that down, ever, especially as long as Renee was around.

Reaching Bella's room, I thought of knocking for a moment, then changed my mind. I never needed to knock on her door, I'd seen her half dressed before and she never seemed uncomfortable with me seeing her that way. It was wonderful and terrible at the same time, catching glimpses of her smooth skin, watching her bare legs as she walked around her room and not being able to touch her, at least not in the way I often thought of doing.

Opening the door I was briefly disappointed when I spotted her laying limply across her bed, fully clothed, her head popping up when she saw me. "I was wondering when you'd make it up here. I heard your car door like five minutes ago."

I laid next to her on the bed, pushing her over a little, "Yeah well, I would have been in here sooner, but your mom got a hold of me."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, "Well that explains it all. What'd she do to you?"

I shrugged my shoulders a little, "The usual, prying into what's going on. She knows Alice is involved."

She didn't respond so I looked at her. She didn't look miserable at all, mad maybe, but not miserable. You could never be too sure with Bella though, she was great at hiding her feelings from people when she was hurt. I knew she wouldn't bring it up, so I did.

"So, how did you take the news?" I braced myself for her anger or the tears that I knew would be coming.

She let out a deep breath, "I'm pissed."

That's it? Was that all? I figured she would be out of her mind with anger right now.

"What? You're pissed, that's all?" My eyes widened a bit at this.

Letting out a dry laugh and shaking her head, "Oh you have no idea how I feel right now about this. I can't even let out all the anger I have right now, and I'm pissed because I feel so hurt by them. They crossed the line with this. I mean, I'm used to Alice doing things that upset me, even if she doesn't know it, its just how she is and I accept that. But Jasper? I can't believe that he would do this to me. We were getting close and I thought for sure that any day now he would be asking me out." She rolled over on to her side and propped her head up on her elbow, now facing me. She stared at my face for a moment.

"How about you? You don't seem too heartbroken over Alice, Edward. Sorry for not believing you to be a manly man," We shared a laugh at her poorly disguised insult. "But I thought you'd be in shambles. You two were pretty close and you were just together last night." Ah, one of the many things I loved about my Isabella, she was always concerned with everyone else's feelings.

"Well, I am upset, of course I am. But, I always knew Alice wasn't the girl for me. I suppose I just spent so much time with her because she was there and she seemed interested. I admit, I am a bit of an ass for using her that way but, apparently she didn't care too much for me in that department either. We were just available to each other."

"Oh. So you guys weren't totally in love." She sat up, putting her head in her hands, "Now I feel like a loser because I seem to be the only one who got seriously screwed over in all of this. I was the only one who got my feelings hurt."

I sat up with her, putting my arm around her shoulders, bringing her to my chest. "What? Really, you think that? Bella I may not have been in love with Alice but she was still my girlfriend for all intents and purposes and she left me for my best friend last night. After she left my house! And she didn't even have the decency to tell me herself. At least Jasper didn't know how you felt for him, so its not like you were totally put out there." Ah, heaven, holding her in my arms again, at last! And now, insert my shame for enjoying it.

"Oh please Edward, he had to have known! No one is that dense that they can't tell when someone wants them!" I had to stop myself from laughing at the image of a pot and a kettle. "And even if he didn't, Alice did. I told her that I liked him when he first came around. All she said was he seemed ok, and she loved the country thing. I'm surprised she didn't find some way to make it seem like he wasn't worth my time."

"Maybe she realized that if she made you stop talking to him that he wouldn't be around, and that if she started to speak to him after that, you'd be pissed and go all Hulk on her."

"I still feel like beating her until she looks like Quasimodo."

I couldn't stop the laugh this time, pulling back to look at her, "What?"

She blushed a little and shook her shoulders, "I just had this plan to go to her house tonight, beat her with a pillowcase full of encyclopedias, and then throw her to the wolves on the Quileute Reservation. Rose said she wouldn't help me though and you don't seem upset enough to help me out either." She gave me a small pout, then laid her head back down on my chest.

"And yet you still say Rosalie is the violent one." I laughed while rubbing her back.

Bella was quiet for a few minutes, I assumed she was having one of her thinking moments. She had them quite often without even realizing it. "Hey, remember when we first met and you were all mean to me because you thought I was using you?" I nodded, encouraging her to go on, "Maybe I should have been that way with Jasper. I just assumed that since Rosalie wasn't around anymore that I didn't need to worry so much why a guy was talking to me. I never thought the same would happen with Alice, and I guess I just assumed she wouldn't do something like this to me."

She sounded so hurt and helpless to me just then. "Oh Bella." I kissed the top of her head, "It'll be okay, I promise. You've been hurt before and just like then, I'm here with you and we'll get through it, okay?"

Nodding her head, she let out the most pitiful sigh I have ever heard, "I know I'll get over it, and I know you'll be there for me. I'm just so tired of this happening to me! Every time I think I've met a decent guy, I seem to get screwed over one way or another." She pulled away from me and went to the mirror attached to her dresser, "I mean, is it me? I know I'm no Rose, but I think I've turned out pretty decently. Decent enough to get at least one good guy!" She was glaring at herself in the mirror. "Maybe its my personality." She faced me again, "My personality sucks, doesn't it?"

I felt the corner of my lips turn up when she said this. I hated when she put herself down, I hated it more than anything, but she always looked so adorable when she did it! I stood and went to her, "Bella, everything about you is beautiful. And you have such crappy luck with guys because you always pick the crappiest ones that Forks has to offer. I mean, Mike Newton? Jacob Black? The list goes on." I could feel the grimace that took place on my face.

She rolled her eyes at my comment, "Oh my goodness, do you always have to bring up Mike? I'd never had a boyfriend so I just jumped right in. Besides, he wasn't that bad, he's a good guy."

I balked. "Yeah, and he was so good a guy to try to just jump right in your shirt, remember that? I do. Actually I remember it too well, you called me that night crying because he tried to feel you up in the theater and when you said no he took you home. I think you even said you didn't get to finish the movie."

She stuck her tongue out at me and then pointed her finger at me, "Ok, so I give you that one, but Jake was awesome. Even you can't say anything about him."

"Pfft, please! I could go on for days about the things wrong with that _boy_."

"Like what?"

It was my turn to roll my eyes and I grabbed her hand, using it to pull her towards me. I couldn't stand not touching her when we were already so close. "Uh, hmm, lets see, how about the fact that he was too young for you. Or that he was way too immature."

"He was only a year younger than us Edward."

"Still, he was younger. And don't forget that he was a total ass."

Once again, she pulled away from me, I wanted to stomp my foot, but I definitely couldn't do that, especially not after I had just made a comment over the boy being immature.

"Yeah, he was a bit of a jerk, but he was the best guy I'd been around. And it would have worked out between us if Alice hadn't stuck her pointy little nose in my romantic life."

That pissed me off immediately. The best guy she had been around! I had been around for almost three years at that point!

"Oh please, come on Bella. Yeah, Alice told him a lie, but you tried to tell him what really happened and what did he do? He slammed the door in your face, called you all kinds of names and never gave you the chance to apologize because he got his feelings hurt! That doesn't seem like he was too great of a guy if you ask me." I hated bringing up that memory, but I was trying to make a point dammit and that point was that she picked crap lousy guys while I was a great, handsome, rich and loyal guy standing right in front of her!

Huffing, she threw her hands up into the air, "Ok, I get it Edward! I suck at life! There! You happy now?" she went to flop on her bed again and left me standing feeling like the dick that I am.

"Bella that's not what I meant and you know it."

"Well that's what you made it seem like."

I sat on the floor next to the bed. "I love you Bella and you know that. So you know that it wasn't meant to make you feel bad, I just wanted you to see that you aren't the problem. Its just that you pick the worst guys. And as much as I hate to do it, I have to add Jazz to the list of douche bags that you've wanted."

I heard her let out a little laugh, "Yeah, I see your point now. I do pick losers. And Jasper is the number one loser this time."

I smiled, "Yeah, that he is. Bastard somehow squirmed his way into our lives and managed to take my girlfriend and hurt my number one girl all in one fell swoop. I should kick his ass." That got a giggle out of her, just what I wanted.

"Hey, this means I get to start my own list of girls for you! Lets see how you like it when I start naming off the crappy girls you've been with."

I nodded my head, "Sounds like a plan. I only hope that you do me a favor and tell me when they suck, like I tell you." That was going to be one mighty short list.

"Deal." She took in a deep breath and let it out, "Rose and Emmett are gonna be here tomorrow. They think both of us are going to crack any time now over this."

I shoved her foot that was dangling over the side of the bed, "Well I don't know about that, maybe you, but I'm ok."

She kicked at me, "Ha ha."

I got up to sit on the edge of her bed, "So, what now? Do we go to school Monday with our heads held high or what? Do we pretend nothing happened?"

She let out a very Charlie-like grunt, making me grin, "I don't want to go! I don't want to see the happy couple, I might punch her in the face. She really sucks, ya know? She's so selfish."

"I know that and I'm sure you already knew that. Renee knows that! I think everyone is aware of that!" It was true. Alice was selfish, but not a bad person, except for this one time. When it comes down to hurting my Bella, that makes you downright evil.

"She's still my best friend though, regardless of the bullshit she's causing. Jasper can kiss my ass though."

I couldn't help myself, I had to tease her, "I'm sure you would love that."

"Shut. Up. Edward!"

"Okay, but still, what do we do now?"

She looked at me with those gorgeous, sometimes chestnut looking eyes, biting her lip, "I don't know."

We sat quietly in her room for the next few moments.

"Edward?"

I was keeping myself entertained by playing thumb war alone. "Hmmm?"

She put her hand on mine to stop my playing, I looked up at her. I stopped my mind from seeing her taking my hand and pulling me back to lay on the bed.

"Edward, I know I'm about to sound really stupid to you right now." Oh my god, maybe she was about to confess her love to me, I felt my heart speed up.

_Way to be a girl, Edward. _

"I don't want to go to school Monday and let them see that I'm upset by this. I don't want people around the school to look at me like, 'aw, poor Bella.'. I don't want to deal with that."

My heart plummeted and my eyebrows furrowed with the realization that she wasn't going to admit anything to me just then. "Okay, I'm sorry but I'm not following you." If she wasn't confessing feelings to me, what is she trying to tell me?

"Do you think, I mean, never mind, I can't believe myself." She started to pull her hand away from mine, I grabbed it and pulled it back.

"Come on now Isabella. You can say anything to me and you know that. I promise I won't laugh or do anything to upset you, I promise. Now tell me."

"I know. Ok, Edward can you...can we just kinda." Whatever she was trying to say was obviously hard for her, she was frowned up and focusing hard on the right words, which didn't seem to be coming to her.

"Spit it out Swan. You know I don't have patience for this crap, even with you."

She huffed and looked me right in the eye, "I want you to help me make them jealous and regret ever doing this."

I know I promised to not do anything that would upset her, but this was crazy. "Come again?"

She dropped my hands. "I knew you would say no."

"I'm not saying no to anything, I just need you to explain what you mean." She should know by now that I could never say no to her. I'd always done whatever it took to make her happy, I even bought her tampons and washed her bloody shorts when she got her period at my house once.

"I want to make them jealous. Hell, I don't even need them to be jealous, I just want to piss them off." There was a spark in her eyes again. "Lets do something stupid Edward, I want to be a complete ass right now."

I let out a laugh that can only be described as 'gut-busting', "Are you being serious right now? You want to piss them off?"

"Yes, I want you to be my boyfriend."

My eyes could have rolled out of my head and I wouldn't have noticed. "What?" She wanted to be my girlfriend? What the fuck?

She threw her hands up, "Ok, I knew that was stupid. Forget I even brought it up."

I rubbed my hands over my face. "Wait, just let me get this straight. You want me to be your boyfriend? To bother Alice? She just dumped me, Bella. I don't think she'll really give a shit if we dated."

She clearly stated, "Are you kidding me, Edward, this is Alice we're talking about. How do you easily upset an Alice?" I shook my head in confusion, "You upstage her! All we have to do is look better together than her and Jasper, and we'll just ignore her for a bit. You know she's going to bounce around us like she hasn't done anything wrong to either of us and expect us to just act like its okay and be happy for her. I don't want to give her that satisfaction! I don't want to watch her be happy and get everything she wants, everything I want, while I have to sit off to the side smiling for her."

I bit my lip, thinking. I ran my hands through my hair slowly, "Okay. So, you want to knock her off her high horse basically? Is that what you're saying? Because I'm struggling to put two and two together right now."

"Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I don't really have a plan right now, I just know that I want to do something to piss her off. We don't have to do that if you don't want to though, I know its stupid and childish." She looked down at her carpet, her face blushing prettily.

I did understand what Bella wanted, as warped and confusing as it seemed. Alice had pretty much abused Bella's friendship since they met, she knew Bella was a pushover with low self-esteem and she ate that shit up like candy. And now Bella was tired of it, she wanted to get away from that and she wanted to show Alice that she wasn't someone to take for granted. She was hurt by her and she wanted to do something to return the favor, no matter what it may have been, big or little.

Yeah, I speak the awkward language that is Bella.

And suddenly, I was angry too. I was angry at Alice for treating Bella like crap and I was actually pissed over the way she 'dumped' me for my friend. I was angry at Jasper for leading Bella on like he did. And I was angry about realizing that the only opportunity I had to be with Bella was the result of her being pissed off by Alice and Jasper, not her having actual feelings for me.

I sighed and looked up towards the ceiling. I love Bella and I would do anything to make her happy and this was no exception, I knew it. I had dreamed of when I would be able to call her mine. And here she was practically handing me herself, gift wrapped and all. I would make her happy by doing this and I could finally be able to do what I wanted with her, as long as it was 'cuter' or possibly even 'sexier' than whatever Alice and Jasper were doing. That was the dick in me again, but I honestly didn't have the strength to fight it anymore. I would probably never get an opportunity like this again and I had to take it. I would hate myself for who knows how long if I didn't at least see where this could lead to.

"Okay. Fine. Let's do this. I could go for a little immaturity right now." I watched her head pop up, I briefly worried that she would somehow break her neck. It was Isabella after all.

Her eyes widened in disbelief and her mouth dropped open. "Really? You're serious?"

I smiled brightly at her reaction, she was so cute. "Yeah. Lets do it. Its not like I have anything better to do anyway. But then again, nothing is more important to me than you Isabella."

Her smile could have given the sun a run for its money and she launched herself at me, almost tripping over her carpet. I caught her and held her to me tightly, closing my eyes and enjoying the feel of her in my arms once again. Going along with this plan meant I got to do this as much as I wanted, and in front of everyone. Yeah, I was making the right decision, it was dumb, but it was right.

I felt her try to pull away and let go of her. She was still smiling widely. "Oh, you're the best guy on the planet Edward, do you know that?"

I made a show of buffing my nails and popping my collar, "Yeah, I may have heard that a few times or so."

"You're so full of yourself!" she laughed and pushed at my arm and went to sit at her computer desk. "Ok, first thing to do, we're going to do some serious shopping."

I sat down on the end of her bed, "Why do we need to go shopping? I hate shopping. _You _hate shopping." I pointed at her.

She shuddered, "I do, but we need to get some things to start this whole charade."

I was listening, eyeing her warily. "Like what?" I didn't think she would force me to spend hours shopping, that would be more torture to her than me, but she was plotting something and I was nervous.

"I actually don't know, but we'll figure that out when we get there."

I groaned. "Whatever. Do you want to go now?"

"Go now? Don't you think its too late to drive all the way out there?"

I snorted, "Bella, its barely four o' clock in the afternoon. Trust me, we have plenty of time."

"No, thats too much pressure, trying to make it there in time and be back before Charlie starts ringing my phone to death. Besides, I've been meaning to go pick up my contacts today anyway."

This was new to me, "Contacts? Since when? Why are you getting contacts? Your eyes are fine." I didn't understand why she would want them.

She shrugged, "I know. I just wanted a different color, something other than brown, ya know?"

"No I don't know, your eyes are nice, I like them." Their beautiful actually, and I loved them.

She looked at me for a second and I froze, thinking I had maybe said that out loud.

"I just wanted a different color."

"Fine. Do what you want. What color did you pick? And please don't say blue! Thats just so cliche, Bella." I shook my head at her.

She laughed, "No, its not blue. I picked green."

"Why green?"

"Why not blue?"

"Because blue contacts are overrated."

"Ok, I just wanted green! Its a nice eye color to have."

"Green? Bella, my eyes are green and let me tell you, there isn't really anything too fascinating about it." That was a lie, girls were crazy over my eyes, but I wanted her eyes to stay brown. I loved them that color.

"Give up Edward. Your eyes are an awesome color and you know it. Hardly any girl can resist green eyes!" She stuck her tongue out at me.

"You seem to be doing it very well." I teased. It was such a sad truth though.

She rolled her eyes, "I don't fall for them because I know you, Edward."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I was almost offended.

She shrugged, "It doesn't mean anything bad, it just means...its you."

_Ouch. Just plain old Edward. Only good enough to play the pretend boyfriend._

I didn't feel like continuing this conversation. Shit just got too real for me. Plus, I didn't want to get my feelings hurt any more than they were at the moment, lest I tear up and look like a bitch in front of her.

Putting my hands up in defeat I sighed, "Alright, do what you please. You want to get the contacts now?" I picked up my keys, trying to shake off the dejection. She didn't know she was pushing needles into my chest.

She looked at me like I was a loon. "Edward, it takes like no time to get to the Vision Clinic, you don't have to drive me."

I grinned at her, I'd been told once that my grin was sexy, sadly it was Jessica Stanley who said it, but I was hoping like hell that it was true right now. "You just want to drive your truck."

She instantly got defensive. "Yes I do, there is nothing wrong with my truck. It is perfectly able to get me from point A to point B."

"Yeah, after driving like thirty miles an hour and breaking down a few times." She was glaring at me hardcore right now. I couldn't help but to smile. "Come on, Bella. Let me drive you to pick up your awesome new contacts. Please?" I poked out my bottom lip.

She still glared at me, but I could see the strain on her face as she tried hard not to smile. "Fine, but you have to promise to not make fun of my truck ever again."

"Ha! Thats unlikely to happen, love." I loved being able use that term. It let me express my feelings for her without actually saying it.

"Ugh, you can be such a dick sometimes, Edward."

"Yeah, we both know this already." I laughed.

Her face suddenly got smug and she sat back in her computer chair. "Ok, ok. You can drive me there, but you can't pay for anything for me for a whole week."

It was my turn to glare now. "Thats not fair, Bella. Its not going to happen like that." I crossed my arms.

She stood from her chair and stretched, her shirt lifting enough for me to see a sliver of her creamy, milky skin. "In that case, I guess I'm driving myself there."

She turned to grab her purse, but I snatched it away. "Dammit, Bella. You win, I won't be paying for anything for the rest of the week." What she didn't know was that I planned on paying anyway.

She looked like she just won a great battle. "Good. I'll be ready to go in a second, I just need to change into another pair of jeans first." She popped the button on her pants, motioning for me to turn around. While she didn't mind being half-naked in front of me, removing her clothes in front of me was always something she had a problem with. I didn't understand it, but I never questioned it.

I fought the urge to look as I heard the zipper being pulled down on her jeans, then the sound of the fabric being slid down her lovely legs into a puddle at her tiny feet. I had to bite my lip to not let out any sounds that could alert her to me enjoying and suffering through this moment. It took great restraint to not rub myself right there in front of her as I picture her in the smallest pair of thin blue lace panties, so sheer I could see she was bare and smooth underneath.

I could not take it. "Hey, I'm gonna wait downstairs, ok?"

Her voice came from inside her closet, "Ok, I'll be down in a minute. I can't seem to find my favorite pair."

Yes! I knew exactly what pair she meant, they were mine too. A pair of dark denim skinny jeans that showed off how sexy her legs were and how utterly magnificent her ass was.

Once downstairs, I looked down at the bulge in my pants, violently willing it to go away. As I focused on composing myself, I thought about what I was getting myself into. I didn't know if I would be able to do this. Pretend to be Bella's 'boyfriend' and keep my emotions _and _body in line.

This was a great opportunity for me to be with Bella in the long run, but until then, I was going to be spending a lot of time in bathrooms again.

I heard her behind me, "Ready?"

I looked at her, she was so beautiful to me, so beautiful that it left me breathless. And for now, until she decided she'd had enough, she was mine. I held my hand out for hers, and she took it without hesitation, my heart was singing.

"Yep."

I was so fucked.

**Uhh...tada!**


End file.
